Final Analysis of The Abode of the Beloved

When Ms. Cawlfield first introduced this assignment, I was very excited to start looking for the perfect poem that would fit my personality to a tee. I thought that finding a poem would be the easy part, though I was wrong. Looking for a poem was difficult because it was crucial that I had a connection with the poem right away. I found the author Kabir when I was looking for poets based in the middle east and Asia. I saw a connection with Kabir when I began to read his bio. The thing that stood out to me the most was that he is a Indian saint, and he also has his own religion based around his own belief system. As I began to read more fascinating things about Kabir I knew I had to choose one of his poems for my final project, this is when I came across Abode of the Beloved, which really spoke to me on a spiritual level. When I read the poem for the first time I didn't really understand the deeper meaning right away, though I could hear Kabir's voice speaking to me throughout the entire poem. The poem has Sikh and Buddhist influences which I was also drawn to from the start. Now that I found my poem, I was excited to get started in the first stages of research.

Al-Kabir was a very spiritual man whose teachings appealed to the poor and less privileged. He often opposed the traditional Vedas and the Qur'an, and advocated for a simpler path to oneness in God. He wrote what he experienced and was strongly worded in order to grab the attention of the audience. In Kabir's poem Abode of the Beloved he talks about how people are too wound up in their material lives that they cannot stop and enjoy what they have or what they are capable of having if they connected with their spirituality. "Neither speech coming from vedas or books. Doing, not-doing, holding, leaving all these are all lost too in this place" (Kabir 10-13). Here Kabir is asking his audience to let go of what is familiar to them and experience life without unnecessary material objects. At first I thought the poem only related to ancient spiritual rituals though after my interview I realized that it can relate to the modern world as well. "No home, no homeless, neither outside or inside, Micro and macrocosm are non- exsistant"(Kabir 13-14). When Kabir says that there are no homes or homeless, he means that there are no bills to pay and no debt to tend to. Everyone's struggles are demolished and there are no expectations any more for anyone.

From the Abode of the Beloved I have learned that in the end when you are coming close to your death bed, it is not the material things that mater, but the spiritual connections that you have made throughout your life time. "No root or flower, neither branch or seed, without a tree fruit are adroning" (Kabir 17-18). Kabir is saying that without a seed (religion) you can still produce fruit (spirituality). That a person doesn't need organized religion to be liberalized. That in the end it isn't the books that a person has read that has makes them into the person that they are. If a person can find liberation within themselves without material things that is within their own duty. "There is radiance without light" (Kabir 7). I took this line of the poem to symbolize the fact that even if a person does not posses godly qualities they are still capable of producing their own unique spirituality means within themselves. I thought that this was an interesting idea considering that in the beginning of analysing the poem I wasn't completely sure what he was talking about when he mentioned there being a certain radiance without light. Many things were clarified during the interview portion of my project because it was helpful to hear from someone more mature than me, because they have experienced more than I have in my lifetime.

Kabir taught me many things about life that I took for granted before. Like to let the little things go and live more simplistically with out set rules and guidelines. "Whoever sees my indicative sign will accomplish the goal of liberation" (Kabir 25-26). I do believe this statement to be true. I think that once a person finally finds their key to spiritual happiness and satisfaction they will be liberalized. This will take a huge weight off of their shoulders and they will finally be able to live in peace. "Where the beloved is there is utterly nothing says Kabir I have come to realize"(Kabir 14-15). I have come to the realization that things don't make people happy, people make people happy. Maybe people are caught up in the material side of the world and are brain washed into believing that wealth and books and knowledge will bring prosperity and happiness where as only a persons soul can create complete spiritual oneness within themselves. This is how teachings of Buddhism ties into the poem. Kabir takes religion and twists the basic meaning around his own believe system. Not everyone has to follow him though everyone must find their own spiritual being.

Throughout the year I have really found myself as a writer. I think that I have written more in this year than I have in all of my Language Arts classes combined. That might be a bit of an overstatement but it is partially true. I really enjoy witting, it forces me to think and pour all of my thoughts out onto a page. I especially enjoyed reading the Lord of the Flies and the Metamorphosis. It was interesting how in depth and deep are conversations were as a class. I don't think I had ever  experienced such conversations. In years past we had just talked about plot in a story, but never as much in depth symbolic meaning as we did this year. It was very refreshing to say the least. In all honesty this class was the only class I didn't dread going to all year. We always were doing something and talking as a class. I think I have definitely grown intellectually, and I am excited for next years English class. Hopefully it will be just as great.

Interview with my mother

As I walked into the beige and cozy living room, I saw my mom lounging on the couch reading the Denver Post with her limp reading glasses. The room itself brings back so many memories of my childhood and times past I couldn't help but to reminisce. The air was humid do to resent rain storm that had just passed through, the mood was calm and relaxed. Candles flickered on the mantle surrounding thoughtfully framed pictures of my family and friends. As my mom picked up the poem, she struggled to decipher the unfamiliar words, I could see the wrinkles around her eyes condense as her eyes scanned the poem line by line. I could tell that she didn't understand the poem  at first, just by the way her lips pursed in slight frustration. Though I suggested that she read it again. The second time she read the poem, I could see the relief in her face when she finally began to understand the complexity of the poem.

After reading through the poem twice my mom looked up at me in curiosity. Initially I asked her of the first thing that came to her mind. She responded with hesitation, she knew the poem was about the characters companion but she wasn't sure if the companion had another underlying meaning. Though when looking through the poem she picked out a few lines that suck out to her.

"Oh Companion That Abode Is Unmatched,

Where My Complete Beloved Is.

In that Place There Is No Happiness or Unhappiness,
No Truth or UntruthNeither Sin Nor Virtue" (Kabir 1-5). 

In this moment she realizes that this place where his companion resides is so peaceful and serene. It is a comfortable place where the character can go to without hesitation or judgement. My mom relates this back to how she tries to create a home or an abode of love and support for her family. I then went on to ask my mom if she thought this abode was a physical place, and her answer was that it was not a physical place but more of a state of mind and being where a person can go to be free. When I asked my mom to place an emotion with the poem, I was very surprised at her answer. She thought the poem was sad and depressing, where I had not picked up on any of that until now. "Where the Beloved Is There is Utterly Nothing" (Kabir 21). He is basically saying that because he has no physical things to be love there is no pressure on him to love anything and this is liberating. 

When I asked my mom "Why is this place so peaceful?" she responded "It is because he doesn't have any requirements, he doesn't have a mortgage, he doesn't have expectations, he can just simply exist and that is enough for him." I thought this was a very interesting perspective. It is amazing how much maturity can play into understanding. Because I, being a teenager am not surrounded by the struggles of the adult world therefore I wouldn't completely understand why having absolutely nothing would be so liberating. This brought me to the topic of materialism. It is his state of mind and not the physical state of things that make him happy. People do not need luxurious things to be happy. This then brought me to question who the beloved is in the poem. At first my mom thought that it might be a girlfriend of his, where as I thought that his own companion was his spirituality. This was the only part of the poem that my mom was slightly confused about, 

because it is not clear who/ what his companion is. 

The interview was now finished and I had touched on the majority of the questions that I had, the room was still very peaceful and the sun had just dipped down below the mountains when I looked out the picture window to my right. Birds were chirping and a cool spring breeze travelled through the cracked window. As I began to pack up my things and wrap up the interview, I contemplated the impact that age has on a persons understanding. Though some younger people are very mature for their age, wisdom in my opinion really does come with age, with more experiences people become more educated of the world. My mom pointed out many things in my poem of choice that I don't think I would have picked up on otherwise. She really opened up my mind to a different side of the poem, so I am very glad I got the chance to talk to her.  

Poem Research

Biography
Kabir Das was born in India in 1440, he eventually died in 1518. His family life was some what unknown, though legend entails that he was born into a Muslim family. He was best known as a mystic poet and a saint of India. Kabir is remembered by his religious group called the Kabir Panth, which is centered around him and his beliefs. This religious group recognizes Kabir as it's founder. There are approximately 9 million members of the Kabir Panth. Kabir's legends include spiritual messages and especially messages that apply to the poor. His poems encompass many Hindu believes systems. Over time he had a extreme impact on Indian philosophy and Hindu poetry. He is still known today as one of the great poets of his time.
Analysis
In Kabir's poem Abode of the Beloved there is simply no happiness or unhappiness. The radiance that Kabir discusses is the light coming from his own being. Having emptiness of knowledge allows us to see how others are making the wrong decisions, and how it will effect them. Our duty is to practice peaceful mindfulness and allow others to reach the path of liberation. Kabir basically says that life is an allusion. Therefore we must use our mindfulness to observe the causes and effects of peoples actions. These actions will either cause inspiration or downfall, therefore it is important to understand what the causes and effects are. Kabir is saying that even with out material objects pure spirituality will speak one its own. Everyone is equal and people are to be treated that way. He is saying that where one finds spirituality there is virtually no outside influences. Kabir inspires people too look for a sign that will guide them to their path to liberation.

Works cited:
"Abode of the Beloved." ZenofWatercom. N.p., 10 Sept. 2012. Web. 13 May 2014.
"Kabir." Kabir. N.p., 03 Mar. 2009. Web. 13 May 2014.

"Kabir." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 05 Dec. 2013. Web. 13 May 2014.

Abode of the Beloved

Oh companion that adobe is unmatched,
Where my complete beloved is.
In that place there is no happiness nor unhappiness,
No truth or untruth
Neither sin or virtue.
There is no day or night, no moon or sun
There is radiance without light.

There is no knowledge or meditation
No repetition of mantra or austerities,
Neither speech coming from vedas or books.
Doing, not- doing, holding, leaving
All these are all lost too in this place.

No home, no homeless, neither outside or inside,
Micro and macrocosm are non- existent.
Five elemental constituents and the trinity are both not there
Witnessing un-struck shabad sound is also not there.

No root or flower, neither branch or seed,
Without a tree fruit are adorning,
Primordial om sound, breath- synchronized soham,
This and that- all are absent, the breath too unknown

Where the beloved is  there is utterly nothing
Says Kabir I have come to realize.
Whoever sees my indicative sign
Will accomplish the goal of liberation.

Siddhartha Essay (Spirituality vs. Materialism)

            Spirituality and materialism both have two major things in common, they both seek after happiness. Material happiness is temporary. Whereas spiritual happiness is something that a person seeks after their entire life.  This is a lifestyle that promotes selfless people that love their surroundings, materialism promotes just the opposite. People who lead materialistic lives are constantly comparing themselves to others, in hopes of becoming someone that they are not. People who live truly spiritual lives, consider themselves an independent apart from all desire and greed. They are no longer effected by others influence on their own lives. Materialistic people tend to lose sight of their dreams and aspirations and drift off into a distant never ending cycle of comparison and regret.

            Siddhartha shows signs of both spirituality and materialism throughout the book. In the beginning of the book Siddhartha has one goal.  He is unnerved by temptations and only wants to immerse himself in his spirituality. "Before him, Siddhartha saw a single goal: to become empty, empty of thirst, empty of want, empty of dream, empty of joy and sorrow. To let the ego perish, to be "I" no longer, to find peace with an empty heart and await the miraculous with thoughts free of self. This was his goal" (Hesse 13). Siddhartha realizes in this moment that spirituality is what truly satisfies him. He is more content when he empties himself of all things materialistic. When people realize how confident Siddhartha is with his spirituality they will want to follow him in his ways. "He was journeying through the countryside as an itinerant teacher, surrounded by disciples, without possessions, without a home, without woman folk, dressed in a yellow cloak of an ascetic but with joyful brow, a Blessed One, and Brahmins and princes bowed down before him and became his pupils" (Hesse 18). When someone is truly content with their own state of mind, others will want to be spiritually calm as well. Though being a Samana isn't giving Siddhartha spiritual fulfillment. When Siddhartha realizes that venturing away from the everyday life of a Samana will give him the most spiritual fulfillment he finally awakens for the first time as if seeing everything as new. Everything was beautiful, everything mysterious and magical, and in the mist of all of this was he, Siddhartha, in the moment of his awakening, on the path to himself" (Hesse 35). Everyone's needs to fulfill their spiritually in a different way, some find it minimally, others find it within the materialistic world. Others need to experiment just like Siddhartha did to find the most fulfilling lifestyle that will bring him peace and contempt.  

           

            Towards the middle of the novel Siddhartha begins to question which is more important to him, his spirituality or having wealth. His "voice" is his spirituality speaking. "He would aspire to nothing but what this voice commanded him, occupy himself with nothing but what the voice advised" (Hesse 43). Even though spirituality and materialism are both seeking after happiness, materialism will never bring permanent happiness. This is because a person of wealth is constantly comparing themselves with others of similar wealth, desire is never out of the realm of possibility. "Thus did Gautama stroll toward the town to collect alms, and the two Samanas recognized him solely by his perfect calm, the stillness of his figure, in which there was no searching, no desire, no imitation, no effort to be discerned, only light and peace" (Hesse 25). A spiritual person does not aspire to have something that isn't practical. They do not compare themselves to anyone, they are their own person. "Often I have thought, Will not Govinda one day take a step on his own without me, as his own soul commands? And behold, now you have become a man and are choosing your own path. May you follow it to its end, O my friend! May you find redemption!" (Hesse 27). Once Govinda stopped following others, and started to listen to the voice in his head conveying spirituality he finally found himself. He was constantly comparing himself to others just like how people with money constantly compare themselves to others with wealth. Govinda realizes that he is his own person and he controls his own destiny. Most people need to locate the voice, that is so important, this voice may be found at an early stage or later on. Either way a person finds themselves in the end.

           

            Materialism teaches a person to love their wealth, and not those around them. It teaches to find pleasure in all things that will better a person financially, and not in things that will better a person spiritually. Materialism brings temporary happiness, in things that are only temporary. "The world had captured him: voluptuousness, lust, lethargy, and in the end even greed, the vice he'd always thought the most foolish and had despised and scorned above all others. Property, ownership and riches had captured him in the end. No longer were they just games to him, trifles; they had become chains and burdens" (Hesse 67). After a while of living a materialistic life, a person's vision becomes blurred and they begin to lose sight of who they truly are. Goals that were previously high priorities now slip away in the distance. Some people are attracted to material wealth because they are not satisfied with their previous actions. "He played this game out of his hearts distress. Losing and squandering the wretched money was an angry pleasure, in no other way could he have shown his contempt for wealth, the idol of the merchants, more clearly and with more pronounced scorn. And so he bet high and mercilessly" (Hesse 67). Money became Siddhartha's escape, now his current life style was a burden to him spiritually. He could not completely devote himself to his own spiritual needs if he was not content with his current life style. But sooner or later, a person will come to some sort of a realization of what their life has turned into. "He felt nausea at his perfumed hair, the smell of wine on his breath, the weary slackness and reluctance of his skin. Just as someone who has eaten or drunk too much  vomits it up again in agony and yet is glad for the relief, sleepless Siddhartha yearned for a monstrous wave of nausea that would rid him of these pleasures, these habits, this whole meaningless existence and himself along with it" (Hesse 70). Siddhartha needed a sign to awaken him from this dark streak of selfishness he was currently absorbed in. He never truly wanted to be this greedy. He never aspired to be a selfish person that is always taking for himself. One thing lead to another and all of a sudden Siddhartha was in this hole that was a struggle to get out off. Though he is the only person that can truly cure himself of his greedy habits. And eventually Siddhartha managed to emerge from the hole a new person, with a completely different outlook on life.

            Spiritual and material ideas are both roads to happiness. Materialism has different drastic effects than spirituality. Spirituality tries to live in the present, whereas materialism constantly lives in the future, in tomorrow, and in dissatisfaction with forms of material wealth. Siddhartha learns through experience that the materialistic life only temporarily satisfies his spiritual and mental needs. Later on he then again realizes that spirituality is the only thing that will bring him true happiness. Most people need to experience both forms in order to understand why one or the other is better, or which is more suited for their life. Experience is the only thing that will  tell which one is best suited. Some people who have completely devoted themselves to spirituality, need to experience material life in order to understand why spirituality gives them more satisfaction. Spirituality is really the only thing that will keep a person true to themselves and the people around them.

Reflections on Siddhartha Chapters 5-12

In all honesty I typically do not enjoy reading as much as I probably should. And from hearing from my peers that had already read Siddhartha, I thought it reading the novel would be dreadful. Though surprisingly I felt just the opposite about the book. I really got into it more than any other book I had read in the past, it all made sense to me.

One of the greatest life lessons that Siddhartha learned throughout his journey was that making mistakes only makes a stronger person. Siddhartha has made numerous mistakes throughout his journey, and with those mistakes he gained wisdom. Those who do not make mistakes don't learn through experience, and are usually not as strong as those who have learned through experience. "I went off and learned the pleasures of love from Kamala, learned to conduct business from Kamaswami, accumulated money, squandered money, learned to love my stomach, learned to indulge my sense. I had to spend many years losing my spirit, unlearning how to think, forgetting the great Oneness" (Siddhartha 81). Even though Siddhartha didn't take the most conventional path in life he sure learned a lot from it through his various experiences. Siddhartha also learns from the world surrounding him. The river plays a very large part in the novel, in a way it symbolizes life. "Isn't it true my friend, that the river has many voices, very many voices? Does it not have the voice of a king, and of a warrior, and of a bull, and of a nocturnal bird, and of a woman giving birth, and of a man heaving a sigh, and a thousand voices more? (Siddhartha 91). Water is soft though it can corrode large things over time, like the Grand Canyon. In many ways soft is greater than hard. Just like the soft bond of love can break large obstacles over time.

Following your inner voice is one of the major points in the novel. Some people are never satisfied because they don't follow their inner voice. Just how Siddhartha is never satisfied until he finds his voice and inner being. Govinda is never truly happy either because he never steps out of his box and follows his voice, just like Siddhartha had done. "And in this moment  he heard something that made him tremble. It was his inner voice, and the voice said no" (Siddhartha 45). Siddhartha is always fairly true to his inner voice even though he makes some mistakes along the way. He does what feels right to him, something that Govinda never really did until later in the novel. "Where else may my path by taking me? How stupid it is, this path of mine; it goes in loops. For all I know it's going in a circle. Let it lead where it will, I shall follow it. (Siddhartha 81). At this point Siddhartha has found his voice, he can recognize it, and he has learned to follow it. You have to be first willing, and able to follow the inner voice, and resist temptation by avoiding outside influences. "In his heart he heard the voice that was awakening once more, and it said to him, Love this water! Remain beside it! Learn from it!Oh, yes he wanted to learn from it; he wanted to listen to it. One who understood this water and its secrets, it seemed to him, would understand many other things as well, many secrets, all secrets." (Siddhartha 85). Siddhartha understands the world and embraces it, in its fullest. This is why Siddhartha reaches enlightenment.

 

Reflection on Siddhartha Chapters 1-6

As I first began to read Siddhartha I was intrigued by the willpower of Siddhartha, and how he refused to follow popular doctrines, and focus his energy on connecting with his inner self. Siddhartha was born a Brahmins's son, and had many expectations to follow. "Joy leaped into his father's heart at the thought of his son, this studious boy with his thirst for knowledge; he envisioned him growing up to be a great wise man and priest, a prince among Brahmins" (Hesse 3-4). Siddhartha's father's wish was that he will be successful, though Siddhartha still feels as though he is missing something. He is not reaching full potential with the current instruction his has been given. He believes that he can teach himself. He already knows how influential he can be from his experiences with Govinda, who practically worships him. "His mind was not content, his soul not at peace, his heart restless" (Hesse 5). Siddhartha began to realize that knowledge isn't everything, books are great but they did nothing in finding peace within yourself. "...but was there value in knowing all these things without knowing the One, the Only thing, that which was important above all else, that was indeed, the sole matter of importance" (Hesse 6). This "One and only thing" was inner self and essence that could radiate off of someone.

            One of the biggest struggles in this novel is the mistake of constant soul searching. Govinda feels that he always needs to follow the best doctrine, and do everything "by the book". Siddhartha has to let Govinda go to find himself in the teachings of Buddha, instead of following him. This was a very selfless move because Govinda loved Siddhartha so much that it would be more of a loss to him because he is losing his lifelong companion. "Be satisfied, Govinfa! The teachings of the Sublime One are excellent; how could I find an error in them?" (Hesse 28). In this line Siddhartha is basically saying that one person can find Buddha's teachings great and others may not have the same reaction. He wants him to go because it will benefit Govinda, and lead him closer to reaching nirvana. "I won't let my life and my thought begin with Atman and the world's sorrows. No more killing myself, no more chopping myself into bits in the hope of finding a secret hidden among the debris. I will no longer follow Yoga- Veda, or Atharva- Veda, or the ascetics, or any other doctrine. I'll be my own teacher, my own pupil. I'll study myself, learn the secret that is Siddhartha" (Hesse 35). Once Siddhartha will find this secret to himself, it will open up more doors and allow himself to see the world with fresh eyes. Siddhartha has much more self discovering to come though, for now he is on the right track. 

Kafka's Metaphor

The Metamorphosis, written by Franz Kafka is a short story that profiles Gregor Samsa. Throughout the story there are hints of existentialism, modernism, vampirism, and communism. Though existentialism is most prominent. From the existentialist view every action that a person commits has a consequence. The story is a metaphor for life in general. The main idea of the story is to go through life without the influence of modern society and understand the consequences of actions. Gregor in The Metamorphosis goes through life under the spell of his manager who symbolizes corporate hell in the modern world. Gregor is isolated from his family and disconnects with everyone that he knows for his demanding job. This is the classic example of people in society today so it is very important to go through life without regrets and without constant pressure and deadlines. Kafka purposely made Gregor a selfless, hardworking man that gets handed a large burden, and becomes stuck with a terrible spell. This is ironic because of how unfair life is, sometimes the worst things happen to the best people therefore it is important to live life the fullest because the future is dark and questionable. And there is always a repercussion for any action, whether that be good or bad.

Existentialism is philosophical thinking that begins with the human subject. One of the first existential philosophers Soren Kierkegaard, suggested that each person is responsible for giving meaning to life and living it with passion.  For example, Gregor continued to work for his family to pay off debt. "Day in, day out, on the road. The stresses of selling are much greater than the actual work going on at head office, and, in addition to that, I still have to cope with the problems of travelling, the worries about train connections, irregular bad food, temporary and constantly changing human relationships, which never come from the heart. To hell with it all!” (Kafka 1). Gregor has hit rock bottom with his work load, and driven himself to the ground. Soon his outsides will match his distraught insides, in reaction to the less than glamorous life that he has lived thus far.  Gregor's work has made him into a repulsive being who has become unable to communicate with his family. Gregor allowed his problems to build up and become intolerable. "What Kafka seems able to do better than just about anyone else is to orchestrate the pressure's increase in such a way that it becomes intolerable at the precise instant it is released" (Laughing With Kafka 1). Gregor had been living this life that was hazardous to his own state of mind, his work load continued to build up until one day everything came full circle and he became a bug in reaction to his work overload. Towards the end of the story Gregor has a revelation, and realizes that without work he has nothing to identify himself with. " 'What now?' Gregor asked himself and looked around him in the darkness" (Kafka 23). This is a very existential statement made by Gregor. He is asking himself what to do with life now, though there is nothing left. He has shut completely down, with the rotten apple lodged in his back that represents the "rotten knowledge that was once there. All of these examples again represent the consequence of all actions.

           
Acts of communion have notoriously brought people together throughout all of time. Sharing food or giving communion is often looked at as a religious or a sacred act.  A person usually shares food with a person that they can trust. "Two people are at dinner and a third comes up, quite unwished for, and one or more of the first two refuse to eat. They place their napkins on their plates, or say something about losing their appetite, or simply get up and walk away. Immediately we know what they think about the interloper." (How to Read Literature like a Professor 'Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion' 11). This statement relates back to how Crete would exclusively give food to Gregor, and his parents wanted nothing to do with it. This food that Crete would give to Gregor was often rotten, and leftover from the previous night. " There were old half-rotten vegetables, bones from the evening meal, covered with a white sauce which had almost solidified, some raisins and almonds, cheese which Gregor had declared inedible two days earlier, a slice of dry bread, a slice with butter, and a slice of salted bread smeared with butter" (Kafka 10). This rotten food, which was the only food available for Gregor, was slowing aiding in the decay of his body. This goes to show that food that is originally supposed to nourish the human body can also decay it and destroy it. The rotten food that Gregor is forced to eat is symbolic of the processed foods that society has "forced" onto the lower income people that perhaps cannot afford to purchase organic or healthy food. " Specifically, Tom and his lady friend, Mrs. Waters, dine at an inn, chomping, gnawing, sucking on bones, licking fingers; a more leering, slurping, groaning, and, in short, sexual meal has never been consumed. While it doesn’t feel particularly important thematically and, moreover, it’s as far from traditional notions of communion as we can get, it nevertheless constitutes a shared experience. What else is the eating about in that scene except consuming the other’s body? Think of it as a consuming desire" (How to Read Literature like a Professor 'Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion' 10). The way in which communion is consumed is also symbolic and has an underlying meaning. Just like how Gregor refuses to eat in front of his sister, this means that he obviously does not trust her enough. He would also eat his meals very fast which symbolized his lack of enjoyment of the food, because food is one of the greatest pleasures in life.

           
Vampirism includes characteristics like selfishness, exploitation and the refusal to accept the natural being of others. All of these characteristics explain Gregor's fathers attitude towards Gregor. "That’s pretty much what the vampire does, after all. He wakes up in the morning – actually the evening, now that I think about it – and says something like, “In order to remain undead, I must steal the life force of someone whose fate matters less to me than my own" (How to Read Literature like a Professor 'Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Vampirism' 16). Gregor's father snatches Gregor's potential for a career from him, and forces him to work in order to pay off his own personal debt. He treats Gregor like a peasant, unworthy of his attention or any recognition inside his own home. Modernism in the metamorphosis plays a very large role. Gregor's everyday life has a Modernists concern with the alienating effects of modern society. A person can easily be trapped if they don't change direction in their life for the better. Just like how Gregor never questioned or traveled different direction away from his parents. Gregor was likely sick for a long time though Gregor's parents didn't realize until later on. " "Alas," said the mouse, "the world is growing smaller every day. At the beginning it was so big that I was afraid, I kept running and running, and I was glad when at last I saw walls far away to the right and left, but these long walls have narrowed so quickly that I am in the last chamber already, and there in the corner stands the trap that I must run into," "You only need to change your direction," said the cat, and ate it up" (Laughing with Kafka 1). This quote is suggesting that if a person doesn't change direction in life they will eventually end up consumed by modernist society, just like Gregor. Humor in the Metamorphosis is very hard to understand because it is so blunt. It is definitely not vulgar like most humor in modern societies, therefore that is why most people have a hard time understanding it. " There's no recursive word-play or verbal stunt-pilotry, little in the way of wisecracks or mordant lampoon. There is no body-function humor in Kafka, nor sexual entendre, nor stylized attempts to rebel by offending convention "(Laughing with Kafka 2). Kafka uses more underlying irony than anything throughout the story which aids in the complexity of the story.

The Metamorphosis helps to explain some of the disconnects in modern day society. It profiles Gregor as the hardworking man who unfortunately gets dealt some unlucky cards. This is a metaphor for life in general, as life never plays out the way that a person expects it to. Kafka uses various techniques such as existential ideas that help to explain that a person shall always see repercussions for their actions throughout life. Kafka makes horrible things happen to Gregor so the reader can learn from them and not make the same mistakes again. It is most important to not allow existential and modernist views shape a person's life because they could end up running in one direction for ages without turning back, trapping themselves in a hole that is very difficult to come out of before it becomes too late. 

Reflections on Foster

David C. Foster Wallace was a very interesting man. He had a very different view on society and how literature is interpreted in today's world. I think that his view on acts of communion were very interesting. He believes that eating a meal together symbolizes people coming together and trust within that unit. People will only eat together if they trust each other. "Here’s the thing to remember about communions of all kinds: in the real world, breaking bread
together is an act of sharing and peace, since if you’re breaking bread you’re not breaking heads" (Foster 2). I can relate this idea back to metamorphosis where Gregor's sister always insisted on feeding Gregor, it was a symbol of trust and confidence though because she gave Gregor the left over food it was a sign of the little importance Gregor held in the family. "Two people are at dinner and a third comes up, quite unwished for, and one or more of the first two refuse to eat. They place their napkins on their plates, or say something about losing their appetite, or simply get up and walk away. Immediately we know what they think about the interloper" (Foster 8). Eatting together is a sacred thing therefore we should treat it as that, this is why eatting has such a large impact on literature.

The next thing that Foster talks about is acts of vampirism. "It just goes to show
that not all eating that happens in literature is friendly. Not only that, it doesn’t even always look like eating. Beyond here there be monsters" (Foster 12). In the metamorphosis Gregor didn't always eat with care, sometimes he wasn't even looked at when he ate and other times he was given the rotten leftovers symbolizing his position in his family. "So vampirism isn’t about vampires? Oh, it is. It is. But it’s also about things other than literal vampirism: selfishness, exploitation, a refusal to respect the autonomy of other people, just for starters. We’ll return to this list a bit later on" (Foster 15). Refusal to accept the annatomy of others was another popular idea in the metamorphosis. Gregor was looked at as nemesis and not given the time of day because of his size and him being a bug. This showed Gregor's families selfishness and respectfulness in general.

Metamorphosis Reflection

Gregor is the only person in his family that is hard-working, or that has any sense of work ethic. All he wants to do is please his family so they can live a comfortable life. "It struck him how easily it would be if someone could come to his aid" (Kafka 3). This shows how incredibly lazy his own family is, and how uncomfortable Gregor is with asking them for assistance of any kind. It is a luxury to have a servant girl, they could be using that extra money to pay off their debt but instead they use it for their own selfish good. But he has been isolating himself from his family for all of this time that it is not of Gregor's nature to ask for help in a situation like this. Some people think that Gregor dug himself into this hole, and it is up to him to move on from his family, though others think that he is a selfless person. "Must the manager himself come, and in the process must it be demonstrated to the entire innocent family that the investigation of this suspicious circumstance could be entrusted only to the intelligence of the manager?" (Kafka 4). At this moment in the story Gregor still looks to his family as helpless and in need of his economical assistance. He has yet to question their life style, and that is what makes Gregor such a noble, genuine person.

After a certain amount of time where Gregor became less and less useful to his family, he became more of an after thought. And he was no longer understood by anyone. "No request of Gregor's was of any use; no request would even be understood. No matter how willing he was to turn his head respectfully his father just stomped all the harder with his feet" (Kafka 8). Gregor cannot communicate with others because he is of a different mindset than his arrogant family. This alienation (a popular existential theme) is profiled throughout the story. "For instance, he cut out a small frame over the course of two or three evenings. You’d be amazed how pretty it is. It’s hanging right inside the room. You’ll see it immediately, as soon as Gregor opens the door. Anyway, I’m happy that you’re here, Mr. Manager. By ourselves, we would never have

made Gregor open the door. He’s so stubborn, and he’s certainly not well, although he denied that this morning" (Kafka 4). His entire family is extremely oblivious to the fact that Gregor is miserable in his own little "society" of his room. He is separating himself from the rest of the world. 

The Metamorphosis

How Gregor's family views money/ wealth.

Throughout the story there is a constant connection with the idea of wealth and being rich. This idea of wealth is more important to Gregor's mother and father than it is to anyone else in the story. "Gregor later earned so much money that he was in a position to bear the expenses of the entire family, costs which he, in fact, did bear. They had become quite accustomed to it, both the family and Gregor as well. They took the money with thanks, and he happily surrendered it, but a special warmth was no longer present"(Kafka 12). In this case money bought the family status, without it they felt incomplete. Once Gregor was deformed into a bug he became less important and no longer useful to his family. “ 'What a demanding job I’ve chosen! Day in, day out, on the road. The stresses of selling are much greater than the actual work going on at head office, and, in addition to that, I still have to cope with the problems of travelling, the worries about train connections, irregular bad food, temporary and constantly changing human relationships, which never come from the heart' " (Kafka 1). His family has forced him into this job with the added stress of paying off his fathers debt. It is torture for Gregor and not something that he enjoys. His father is giving his own problems to someone else to deal with. "Once I’ve got together the money to pay off my parents’ debt to him—that should take another five or six years—I’ll do it for sure" (Kafka 1).
Gregor is a burden to his family until he pays off his fathers debt so he can continue to lead a lavish life style. Gregor has in a way put his own life and freedom at a hault in order to serve his family. Maybe Gregor was turned into a bug not to punish Gregor but to punish his own father, for now he can no longer rely on his son financially.

Gregor's Isolation and connection to his bedroom.

From the begining Gregor isolates himself from all means of life. He lives in a small bedroom and only separates himself from his house when he is at work. His family in many ways contributes to his isolation. "When he had completed turning around, he immediately began to wander straight back. He was astonished at the great distance which separated him from his room and did not understand in the least how in his weakness he had covered the same
distance a short time before, almost without noticing it" (Kafka 24). Gregor feels a connection to his bedroom, it is somewhere he can go and be safe, away from the threats of his father, for the most part. It is the familiarity of his bedroom which makes him feel so comfortable. "But the high, open room, in which he was compelled to lie flat on the floor, made him anxious, without his being able to figure out the reason, for he had lived in the room for five years" (Kafka 10). As Gregor became less useful to his family, he began to feel more and more like a guest in his own home. It was more of a privilege for him to stay there. So he went to his bedroom to escape from the pressure and sometimes connect and speak with his sister which was very much to be kept a secret from his father. "...the father heaped reproaches on the mother that she had not left the cleaning of Gregor’s room to the sister and, turning to his left, he shouted at the sister that
she would no longer be allowed to clean Gregor’s room ever again. The sister, shaken by her crying fit, pounded on the table with her tiny fists, and Gregor hissed at all this, angry that no one thought about shutting the door and sparing him the sight of this commotion" (Kafka 20). Gregor's father does not want Gregor to be in contact with anyone, not even his own sister. He is ashamed at the sight of him and feels that he should stay alone in his bedroom without any outside connections. Gregor has little connection with his own family so he has developed a connection with the unknown. Such as framing pictures of strangers because he doesn't have anyone else to connect with.

 One other thing that I noticed in the story was how people can adapt to maybe unnatural or unaccepted things. Just like how Gregors family adapted to their lavish style of living. An outsider looking in might say that their life is extravagant though they might not see it themselves because they have been living the same way for so long they don't know the difference. Gregor's father was extremely conceded and relied on others to support him financially, therefore they began to rely on Gregor for support and after a while they stopped seeing realistically how they were abusing Gregor. Towards the end of the story Gregor is no longer so stressed out about being a bug because he has adapted to it, and learned to live with it. It seems to me that at the end of story Gregor is no longer over thinking every single move he makes and is more at ease with his current state of being a bug.

Gregor Samas

Gregor Samas is a devoted man, who is very loyal to his job and family. He is a travelling salesman who is truly dedicated to his job and he wants to please his parents to help pay off debt. "If I didn’t hold back for my parents’ sake, I’d have quit ages ago. I would’ve gone to the boss and told him just what I think from the bottom of my heart" (Kafka). His job is extremely demanding and he is doing it for his family and not for himself. Gregor Samas doesn't necessarily deserve to become a bug, but he doesn't let that obstacle phase him in the slightest bit. "Apart from a really excessive drowsiness after the long sleep, Gregor, in fact, felt quite well and even had a really strong appetite" (Kafka). As of right now Gregor's main goal is to make it to work, he does not really take into consideration not going to work, only how he's going to get there. He is a selfless person who is not willing to give up or take 'no' for an answer. His parents on the other hand are completely reliant on Gregor, they live a rather lavish lifestyle and are quite egotistical. Unlike Gregor who always strives to reach his full potential.


Gregor in a way is enclosed into a very small confined world. His world is basically his office and his small bedroom. He is trapped inside this space, only with his thoughts to accompany him. "His greatest reservation was a worry about the loud noise which the fall must create and which presumably would arouse, if not fright, then at least concern on the other side of all the doors" (Kafka). He is so selfless that he doesn't want to slightly bother anyone in the house. He is extremely introverted and tries to avoid confrontation or any unneeded attention from himself. "Two strong people—he thought of his father and the servant girl—would have been quite sufficient" (Kafka). Even though he struggled greatly in figuring out how to get out of bed, he notes that with the help of two family members it would be much quicker. Though he does not want to impose on anyone, not even his own family. This shows how independent and self sufficient he is compared to his family who are dependent on him and the servant girl to continue their lavish lifestyle.

What Dreams May Come

While we watched the breath taking film What Dreams May Come we were given some guidelines on what to look for when taking notes. Many things were physical attributes of the film, like what the colors symbolized and what what the camera shots resembled. Though what we were really looking for was how the film was similar to Dante's Inferno. The two stories are similar though they have slightly different moods. In What Dreams May Come the story starts out cheerful and the Nielson family is happy and the colors in the movie are bright and hopeful. Then the plot dramatically downfalls into a hell where the colors are dark and death surrounds the Neilsen family. It finally ends happily where the plot is renewed. In comparison, during Dante's Inferno the story is far darker and the plot never really resurrects into a happy ending.

Many other things were similar, for example, Chris was guided by Albert who acted similarly to Virgil in Dante's Inferno. Albert helps Chris move through hell to find Annie who is his soul mate, similar to how Virgil guides Dante through hell to find his soul mate Beatrice. In both stories the soul mates are separated from each other and their strong love never stops them from reconnecting.  The scenes in What Dreams May Come are also very similar to the sinners punishment scenes in Dante's Inferno.  Lastly the punishment of those who commit suicide like Annie are sent to hell, this idea is one that comes from Dante's Inferno. Overall it is very clear that What Dreams May Come and Dante's Inferno are very similar and it helped to watch the film to get a better grasp of hell and how people interpret it differently.

Kafka

Kafka was born in Prague, Czech Republic on June 3rd 1883 to a German speaking Jewish family. His parents were Herman and Julie Kafka. He was the oldest of six children. Later in life he studied at the Charles University of Prague. At Charles University he first started studying chemistry but he then switched to studying law. In college he was a part of a literary club that would organize literary events. In 1906 completed studies and received a Doctorate of Law.

 

After graduating college he was hired to a well acclaimed insurance company called Assicurazioni Generali. Though this job did not let him focus on his writing which was what was really important to him. He then worked for another insurance company throughout his career. Literature was his passion, as he and his close friends Max Brod and Felix Weltsch collaborated on different literary works. Throughout the years he also was a part of an asbestos factory called Prager Asbestwerke Hermann and Co. which he dedicated much of his time.

 

Kafka's works have proved to have an impact on others. Much of his literature is open ended meaning that it can have many different interpretations. His work is interesting or to some people frustrating to analyze because it is so broad no one really knows the true interpretation. Some of his works include The Metamorphosis, The Trial, and The Castle. This method of writing has sense become more popular form of writing.

 

Kafka began to suffer from tuberculosis in 1917. Though he concealed this sickness in fear of being perceived differently by the general public.  Throughout his life he suffered from depression, anxiety, insomnia, and many other defections. When his tuberculosis worsened he went back to Prague in hope of some much needed treatment though nothing seemed to work and he died in same place he was born on June 3rd, 1924. 

Works Cited: 

Nervi, Mauro. "The Kafka Project." The Kafka Project. N.p., 18 Oct. 2011. Web. 18 Mar. 2014.
"Franz Kafka Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 12 Dec.2006. Web. 19 Mar. 2014.